It shares a platform with track 63, to its west. Discover (and save!) On the eve of the iconic hotel's 85th Anniversary, Bloomberg gets a behind-the-scenes look at the Waldorf's most mysterious spaces. Ashley Ringrose/Flickr. Once used for VIP’s, it has been out of ser… https://t.co/ztpvASex7O Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. Unlike other “abandoned” train stations in the New York City area, the infamous Track 61 is supposedly still in use as a secret escape train for presidents visiting the city. This unmarked and unloved Manhattan subway grate created one of the most iconic images in American cinema. The platforms at tracks 61/63 and 53/54 were originally used to carry ashes away. Offer subject to change without notice. However, the dingy industrial stretch of track has managed to gain a fair amount of fame as the private transport stop for US presidents. This Underground station has been a popular filming location for decades, even before it closed. All rights reserved. Several different outlets have reported that Andy Warhol hosted an underground party there in 1965. A Manhattan office building is home to the world's largest chess board. Built along with the rest of Grand Central Terminal, Track 61 was never properly abandoned, as it was actually constructed to be a powerhouse and storage area for unused New York … Grand Central’s abandoned Track 61 NYC Source. Old Buildings. Track 61 fell into disuse in the 60s and 70s, when much of Grand Central Terminal was falling apart. [4]:164, In 1978, there were plans to convert Track 61 into a platform for Amtrak trains, though this never happened. The platform is part of the Grand Central Terminal complex. [12][13], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}40°45′23″N 73°58′27″W / 40.75639°N 73.97417°W / 40.75639; -73.97417, For the industrial rail terminal track in, Storage track of Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan, New York, "Is the Secret Subway in the New Spider-Man Real? Roosevelt is also rumored to have entered and exited via the station in order to hide his worsening case of polio. Track 61 is a storage track abutting a private railroad platform on the Metro-North Railroad in Manhattan, New York City. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). your own Pins on Pinterest A similar platform exists between tracks 53 and 54, to the east. [4]:164[5] Track 61 was famously used by General John J. Pershing in 1938; by Franklin Delano Roosevelt during World War II in 1944; and by General Douglas MacArthur in 1951. April 2020. [1][2] The platform is part of the Grand Central Terminal complex. Feb 20, 2012 - "In which we finally get to see the famous secret train platform beneath the Waldorf-Astoria, also known as Track 61, and used by the likes of FDR." Winner will be selected at random on 04/01/2021. Abandoned Buildings. Officially identified as Track 61 in one of Grand Central's storage areas, with a freight elevator providing access to the hotel, the siding was used on occasion for the arrival or departure of distinguished guests traveling by private railroad cars. TODAY’s Matt Lauer takes viewers into a secret subway station beneath New York’s storied Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. … MOST POPULAR . Conspiracies, dramas, shady covert operations, and webs of corruption have captivated our imaginations Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Take a look at a secret NYC subway station and mysterious rail car. Throughout the 70's and 80's, the track was host to a large 10 and squatter population. A complete and geographically accurate NYC Subway track map. Side note: Track 61 and 63 were originally built to serve a steam powerhouse that once existed on 49th Street that served Grand Central and other buildings in … Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. Jun 29, 2017 - This Pin was discovered by Gene West. The beautiful tunnel that ran from the lobby to Penn Station is still hidden underneath 34th Street. When the Waldorf Astoria first opened its doors, it had publicly announced the high-end private railway would be available for use to its guests, but would never be intended for public passenger use. [1], Track 63 held MNCW #002, a baggage car, for about 20 to 30 years. The limousine would then drive directly out onto the platform (a “siding” next to Track 61), then onto an elevator that rose directly into the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. In which we finally get to see the famous secret train platform beneath the Waldorf-Astoria, also known as Track 61, and used by the likes of FDR. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. Track 61 became increasingly neglected from the 1960's on. #nyc. While Track 61 is considered a part of Grand Central Terminal's complex, it is said to have been taken off of all train charts, it's that secret! Apr 10, 2015 - This Pin was discovered by ༺♥༻ Tina McVie-Archer ༺♥༻. Long-forgotten artifacts give incredible insight into New York's most glamorous hotel. There’s a rumor that Andy Warhol snuck down … One of our other favorite secrets of Grand Central is M42, GRAND CENTRAL'S CLANDESTINE SUBSTATION. Please click below to consent to the use of this technology while browsing our site. Exploring Track 61: The Hidden Subway Track Beneath The Waldorf-Astoria. It is located beneath the Waldorf Astoria New York hotel, within an underground storage yard northeast of Grand Central Terminal. [4]:163 The track was also reportedly set as an escape option for President George W. Bush, Colin Powell, and Condoleezza Rice in 2003, while in U.N. General Assembly meetings. New York in 24 hours Track 61 CNN takes a look at New York's historic Track 61. Although largely defunct today, Track 61 is reportedly still used occasionally and "is considered an important escape route should the president … The elevator installed just to carry FDR's car. To learn more or withdraw consent, please visit our cookie policy. Track 61, the secret subway platform under the Waldorf-Astoria in NYC. Track 61 is an industrial rail terminal track in South Boston, Massachusetts, also known as the Boston Terminal Running Track.Track 61 is the last remnant of the vast rail yards that once covered much of the South Boston waterfront. The earliest reported use of the track was during the tenure of Franklin D. Roosevelt, who supposedly had his car transported to the station. It is located beneath the Waldorf Astoria New York hotel, within an underground storage yard northeast of Grand Central Terminal. Breitbart TV 8 May 2008. See. Everyone from military generals to celebrities have been said to use Track 61 for any number of clandestine movements, but given the amount of secrecy involved, all are hard to confirm. There are treasures hidden in plain sight in America's most commercial neighborhood. Mystery of Track 61: NYC's Secret Subway Stop Revealed. Explained", "Grand Central Terminal, Waldorf-Astoria platform", "A Look Inside Track 61, The Secret Train Platform Under The Waldorf-Astoria", "Secrets of New York: Track 61 and Grand Central's M42", "TOUCH OF CAPE COD AT GRAND CENTRAL; Models Disport on Balcony in Beach Togs in Show by Filene and Railroad", "DYSTROPHY GROUP WILL GAIN IN FETE; Dinner Cotillion Here New Year's Eve to Be Benefit for Westchester Chapter", https://untappedcities.com/2019/12/12/secret-fdr-train-car-no-longer-beneath-grand-central-and-was-never-his/, https://www.nycurbanism.com/blog/2019/9/27/track-61, Grand Central Terminal Guide: What to See, A Look Inside Track 61, The Secret Train Platform Under The Waldorf-Astoria, Penn Central Transportation Co. v. New York City, New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Track_61_(New_York_City)&oldid=1010042629, Articles containing potentially dated statements from May 2014, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 3 March 2021, at 14:47. The power plant was demolished in 1930 to make way for the hotel. NYC inspired eats in a street art meets Italian American setting for our extended family in Oxford. Track 61 legally begins at Summer Street, while the line from Bay Junction to Summer Street is the Boston Terminal Running Track and Terminal Yard. your own Pins on Pinterest Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Clips Matt Lauer MSNBC. General John J Pershing was the first to use it, on a visit to the city in 1938. Discover (and save!) Grand Central’s abandoned Track 61 NYC Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. Grand Central Terminal is one of the busiest and largest railway stations in the country. Track 61 is part of the "Lex Yard", a twelve-track storage yard under the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. A famous songsmith's custom piano, dubbed "High Society," is hidden just out of sight in one of New York's finest hotels. The strange and unusual places Atlas Obscura readers wanted to visit most in the Big Apple in 2018. [11] As of May 1, 2014[update], it has been reported to still be in occasional use. The railcar's location near Roosevelt's Track 61 made the former tour guide Dan Brucker and others falsely claim that it was the president's personal train car that transported his limousine. [3] The yard was built during the construction of Grand Central Terminal in the 1910s, and served the terminal's power station and heating plant. Atlas Obscura and our trusted partners use technology such as cookies on our website to personalise ads, support social media features, and analyse our traffic. Click the image to download the PDF map. Update as of January 2020: The train has been moved to the Danbury Railway Museum in Connecticut. Track 61, Oxford: See 17 unbiased reviews of Track 61, rated 4.5 of 5, and one of 166 Oxford restaurants on Tripadvisor. A special area of the National Archaeological Museum of Naples is located inside a metro station. 1733d ago. Track 61 likely hid the comings and goings of a number of Presidents over the years and was confirmed to be prepped for a quick getaway route for George W. Bush while he took meetings at the Waldorf. [10] The 1946 event was the only event in which Track 61 was open to the public. No purchase necessary. Running to catch a train during rush hour can have you wishing there was a private platform and… There are some aspects of the hidden station, called Track 61 and located under the Waldorf Astoria hotel, that still remain mysterious, but historians have … © 2021 Atlas Obscura. 1.7K likes. The strange and unusual places Atlas Obscura readers wanted to visit most in 2018. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. This subterranean oyster house has been the pearl of Grand Central Station since 1913. Just a random tidbit of NYC history https://gothamist.com/2015/02/20/waldorf-astoria_train_tracks_subway.php News. Built along with the rest of Grand Central Terminal, Track 61 was never properly abandoned, as it was actually constructed to be a powerhouse and storage area for unused New York Central Railroad cars, not a passenger station:  Contrary to popular belief,  Track 61 is not part of the NYC Subway but rather part of the New York Central Railroad, now Metro-North. [6][7][4]:163 The track was also used for the exhibition of American Locomotive Company's new diesel locomotive in 1946;[4]:166 a fashion show by Filene's and the New Haven Railroad in 1948;[8] a charity-benefit dinner in 1955;[9] and an event featuring Andy Warhol in 1965. [4]:150, The platform was not originally intended to be used as a station, but its location made it ideal for unobtrusive access to the Waldorf Astoria when the hotel was built. The elevator, Track 61, and the train car all remain under the Waldorf and although they cannot be accessed to the public, are sometimes visible from trains leaving Grand Central Terminal. New York City, the largest city populace in America, keeps many secrets. Stand clear of the closing doors, please. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the world’s hidden wonders. Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. However, the unmarked brass door at the Waldorf’s street level which leads to the station is proof that someone important is still using the track. The car was then lifted right into the Waldorf’s garage. 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SOCIAL. Track 61 is a storage track abutting a private railroad platform on the Metro-North Railroad in Manhattan, New York City. The station is not much to look at, what with all the untended grime and dirt, but there is still an antique train car permanently parked in the hidden powerhouse. Just a random tidbit of NYC history https://gothamist.com/2015/02/20/waldorf-astoria_train_tracks_subway.php Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting. The baggage car was moved to the Danbury Railway Museum in 2019. Be the captain of your own ship as you steer along this historic waterway, experiencing its hidden wonders and two centuries of history. There are secrets under our feet, above our heads, and around every corner in New York City, many you may be passing by without even knowing it. Track 61, Oxford, Mississippi.